CHAPTER 52: RED LIGHT

"Why do you ask that?" Dressa managed to say, after an awkward amount of time had flown by. "I mean we can go if that’s what you want..."

Maximus didn’t waste anymore time than necessary, he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around so that her back was now facing him. It happened so fast that there was no way she could possibly respond.

She tried as much as possible to ignore the way her pulse picked up when she felt his hands press against her shoulders.

His touch was firm but careful as he worked the sunscreen over her neck, tracing down her spine, his fingers gliding over her toned muscles.

The warmth of his palms against her bare skin sent a shock through her, not because of the temperature, but because of something else entirely.

Her thoughts were going haywire and she couldn’t blame herself, this would genuinely be the reaction of any woman who had hunk of a man touching her in this manner.

Maximus continued working, moving down to her lower waist, his thumbs brushing the sides of her ribs before stopping just above the curve of her hips.

"There, all done." his voice came, pulling her from her ecstasy frenzy.

Dressa swallowed, willing herself to keep her cool before finally turning back around.

She tried to act normal by crossing her arms and clearing her throat. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

Maximus simply nodded, wiping his hands off on a towel before tossing the sunscreen back into her bag.

Dressa, however, felt anything but normal.

She wasn’t even sure why she was so flustered. It was just sunscreen. But the way Maximus had handled it, so effortlessly, so seriously, it made her feel things.

She shook her head, pushing those thoughts aside.

She wasn’t the type to get flustered over dumb things like this.

"Alright," she said, stretching her arms as if nothing had happened. "Lets hit the water."

Maximus grunted slightly, "Trying to wash off all that sunscreen already?"

Dressa shot him a look. "Shut up and come on."

With that, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the shoreline.

The cool water rushed over their feet as they stepped into the waves, and just like that, the tension from earlier melted away into the cast ocean breeze.

»»»«««

After a long afternoon of bathing in natures grand pool, the pair had to call it a day. Seeing the sun beginning to set and calling the day to its end.

Maximus’s social battery had long been drained so he just decided to call it quits and drive Dressa home. He didn’t follow up the date with any evening outings or taking Dressa back to his mansion, no he simply had it in his mind to drop her off at her place.

The date with Dressa wasn’t bad, it wasn’t amazingly fantastic either. To think of it, he wasn’t really into her that way, he simply agreed to the date just because Zack was a persuasive prick.

But now, as he was in his car driving Dressa back to her place, real, urgent and important matters began to rear their heads.

He had the Investment God System active since he open the car doors, monitoring his XP levels, his past investments, global markets and cash flow.

He also realized that it had been a while since he performed the Daily Test time the system recommended for him. But he wasn’t going to start answering questions when Dressa was sitting right there.

A phone call patched through the slow music that was resonating through the insides of the car, a caller ID flashed on the cars screen.

It was the renovations officer.

Frowning, Maximus tapped the screen and put the phone call on loud speaker.

"Yeah? Talk to me..."

The slow jazz music faded slight as he put his hands back on the steering.

The officer’s voice came through, steady but businesslike. "Boss. Just wanted to update you on the third apartment building renovation."

Maximus rubbed his forehead.

Right, that project. After selling the other two and making insane fortune, he made sure the renovations officer started working on the third one and so far this one had been coming along smoothly— or so he thought.

Not to mention, completing this project was sure to take his XP level to the 100% and therefore he’d level up and earn more bonus he could use to his advantage... there was a lot to be done.

"Whats the status?" he asked, as he slowed to a stop at a traffic red light.

His eyes immediately darted to the rear view mirror above, letting his gaze linger there for a couple seconds.

The renovations officers breath was audible over the phone line. "We are making progress, but we’re going to need a hell of a lot more supplies that we initially calculated."

Maximus furrowed his eyebrows, and glanced at the already active Investment God System’s interface.

~Estimated Investment Capital $500,000+~

~Return On Investment {ROI} 80%~

He understood that the system gave him an estimated capital cost and that the half a million dollars he gave the renovations officer to finish the project wasn’t going to probably be enough.

"I see..." he muttered to himself, taking a shot at the rear view mirror again.

Maximus tightened his jaw and glanced at Dressa Morgan who was sitting silently in the passenger seat. "Really, what are we looking at?"

"Well sir, after rattling some numbers, we are going to need more concrete, more writing, more insulation..."

It wasn’t a small request. But then again, Maximus had never expected this project to be cheap.

The apartment was far bigger than the first and second one they worked on, the bigger it was the more costly it was to renovate it, yet the returns would be massive and he definitely was aware of that.

"Alright..." he said after a moment. "you have the price?"

"Yes sir, I will be sending you the sum total right now as we speak..."

Just then, a message flashed across the screen on the dashboard. Maximus wasted no time in tapping it.

$100,000.

That was the amount needed to secure the materials as well as transportation to bring them over to the site.

Without hesitation, he pulled up his banking app and transferred the amount straight to the renovations officers account.

A second later, he heard the renovations officer’s phone ping on the other end of the line.

"Done..."

The officer let out a low whistle. "Damn. You didn’t even hesitate."

Maximus sighed. "Anything to get this done..."

The officer chuckled. "You got it, boss. I’ll send you another update once the materials arrive."

"Good..."

Maximus hung up, and relaxed into his drivers seat.

He took another look at the rearview mirror and slowly turned around the bent road, overtaking a car in front of him

After successfully turning the bend, he glanced at the mirror again, this time for a second later than the last time... then he nodded his head slight.

He turned to Dressa, she was still seating quietly staring into the road ahead. "How are you holding up? I guess you must be really tired after all that swimming..."

Maximus said, gaining her attention.

She looked at him and smiled softly, "I’m alright... I had a great time today, thanks to you, im glad you agreed to go on this date or whatever you like to call it..."

Maximus smirked, returning his focus to the road. "I call it doing Zack Zimmerman a favour..."

They both shared a laugh afterwards, but that was until another call patched through the cars screen.

Beep!

The caller ID peaked Maximus senses and his fingers instinctively dashed to the screen to pick the call.

Valerie Sawyer.

Beep!

"Good evening... Maximus" Valerie said immediately the line connected, her voice ever so velvet and graceful.

Maximus cleared his throat slightly before answering. "Ahem...Good evening, Miss Valerie... how are you?"

There was a brief pause on Valerie’s end after hearing him, "Ohh... that’s new, you want to know how I am doing..."

Maximus scoffed with a slight smirk.

"Don’t tell me you miss your fiancee that much..." Valerie added.

Maximus tightened his grasp on the stirring after taking another brief shot at the rearview mirror. He could feel Dressa’s gaze poking a hole through the side of his face as he stirred the Obsidian. It was only natural for her to react like that, she wasn’t aware that Maximus was in a pact with Valerie and frankly it was non of her business.

But having spent the whole day with him, she was starting to grow fond of him. Having this information crash down on her was very climatic to say the least.

"Ha, very funny... what do you got for me?" Maximus said playfully as he slowly brought the Obsidian to a stop at a packed red light.

"I’m doing very great... My man..." she said with a laugh.

Maximus didn’t smile, he was busy looking at the feedback the rearview mirror was providing him.

"Don’t push it dear... what do you got for me" he said wryly.

"Oh christ sakes maximus, you know you gotta put more effort for this to sell right?" Valerie said.

"I assume that why you are calling me now?" Maximus shot back.

"Partially, there’s a huge auction event coming up- An ancient tomb was dug up a couple months ago in Afrixa and now the items that were discovered are available for auction, my grandmother has put a lot of value into this auction event so its only natural that I make an appearance and also bid on items with my fiancee by my side... you too have the liberty to bid and buy items for yourself if you so choose, that’s where we both benefit 50:50"

A large grin spread evenly across Maximus face like a clown maniac, "Valerie, now this is what I am talking about!" he said excitedly.

"Ha! I knew youd be excited about this one, it would be very nice to spend that day with you." Valerie replied with the same excited vibe.

"You know what, send me the details. Everything I need to know, location, dress code, formalities and all that... I’m going to prepare my bank account!" Maximus said with the grin still spread across his face.

"Don’t be all cocky, not like you’re going to spend more money than me..."

"Ha! Nice one missy. One thing about me, I guarantee success."

"Okay love, well have to wait and see until that day..."

"Alright, I have to take care fo something pressing at the moment..." Maximus said, returning to his usual calm demeanor.

"Okay hubby, I’ll update you later"

Beep!

The line went dead.

Maximus still sensing dressa’s deadly gaze turned to look at her.

"Hubby? You have a fiancee..." she said with a disappointed look plastered all over her face.

Maximus raised an eyebrow at her, "No and Yes... it really non of your business." Maximus said with a small smirk.

"Oh really!" Dressa folded her arms.

"Are you... jealous?" Maximus teased.

She ignored him, feeling her head getting hot by the second.

"Dressa can you do me a favour and put your seat belt on?" Maximus said, following her movemnts as she adhered to his instruction.

"Alright, good girl. You’re doing so well already..."

"Doing so well? For what?" Dressa replied with a puzzled expression.

"Now take out your phone and dial 911..."

"What?"

"Just do it... stay calm and trust me"

She immediately brought out her phone and began dialing the number, her breath and heart rate spiking up as Maximus tightened his hands around the stirring wheel.

"Whats going on Maximus?"

Maximus focused his attention on the traffic light, patiently waiting for it to switch colours to green.

"We’ve got a tail on us..."